Barcelona Holidays: All You Need to Know

Barcelona Holidays: All You Need to Know

Known as one of the most attractive cities in all of Spain, Barcelona is home to a number of sights, sounds and experiences. This city is the capital of the autonomous region of Catalonia and thanks to its proximity to the coast, it is also one of the most important shipping ports in the Mediterranean. Since ancient times, Barcelona has attracted visitors and this same holds true into modern times. If you plan on visiting here, it is a good idea to take a look at some of the major attractions as well as how to arrive here by plane.

Barcelona Flights and Airports

The nearest airport is El Prat de Llobregat Airport. It is found only a handful of kilometres away from the city centre and therefore, there are few transportation concerns. A local train service known as RENFE provides regular trips between the airport and the city centre. There is also a regional service known as the FGC as well as shuttle buses and taxis. Due to the size of this airport, numerous carriers are served. These include:

British Airways

Air France

Ryanair

EasyJet

Aer Lingus

TAP Portugal

United Airlines

The other option is to arrive through Girona-Costa Brava Airport. In this case, a train ride of just under two hours is required to travel to Barcelona.

Barcelona Sights and Attractions

Most tourists who arrive here will be made aware of the massive open-air shopping strip locally known as Las Ramblas. Nearly any item can be found here while there are international bars and a myriad of restaurants found on either side. However, this is only the beginning.

A quick 15-minute walk towards the mountains will enable visitors to experience the majesty of Casa Batillo and other works by famed artist Antonio Gaudi. Furthermore, a church located atop Tibidabo mountain offers splendid views of the city and the nearby port. A few other notable sights here include Sagrada Familia (a large church designed by Gaudi), The Barcelona Cathedral, the Museo Picasso (Picasso Museum) and the park situated atop Montjuic Hill.

There are also some wonderful beaches to be enjoyed. The most common are those found at Porto Olympico as well as Barceloneta. Still, these are quite crowded during any time of the year and it could be a good idea to travel a bit north to locations such as Masnou and Ocata for more privacy.

When to Visit Barcelona

Much like all of Spain, any time of the year will provide you with some truly memorable experiences. The summers here can become quite hot and the beaches are understandably crowded. Autumn and spring could therefore be better options and the tickets could very well be much cheaper. Even in the dead of winter, temperatures rarely drop below freezing and the skies tend to be free from clouds. To avoid the slight chances of stormy weather, it is wise to avoid times of the year including early September and late May. Otherwise, be prepared to experience the holiday of a lifetime.